New Delhi – In an apparent indication of India's success in gaining a foothold in Burma, an agreement for India to develop Sittwe port will be signed during the upcoming visit of Burma's Vice-Senior General.
Sources in India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Burma's Vice-Senior General Maung Aye is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on April 2 for a four-day visit to the country.
During the trip Maung Aye's delegation will ink the final agreement on the Kaladan Multi-Model Project, which has been under negotiation since 2003, one source added.
"He [Maung Aye] will arrive on April 2, and will meet both the Prime Minister and Foreign Minster," an official at the MEA told Mizzima.
The official added that while the agreement will be signed by junior ministers from both the countries, Maung Aye will witness the ceremony.
Other sources close to the MEA said Maung Aye will be received by Indian Vice-President Shri Mohamad Hamid Ansari and will meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minster Pranab Mukherjee as well as calling on President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil.
The Kaladan Multi-Model Project includes the upgrade of Sittwe port and waterway and the construction of a road linking Kalewa in Burma's Sagaing Division to the border town of Moreh in India.
The project envisages connectivity between ports on India's eastern seaboard with Sittwe on Burma's west coast, continuing from Sittwe via riverine and road links to the Indian state of Mizoram.
The project focuses on developing a trade route between the two countries along the Kaladan River in Burma's Arakan state. The Kaladan River is navigable from its confluence point with the Bay of Bengal near Sittwe up to Kalewa in Burma.
From Kalewa, India is to develop a road connecting the riverine terminus of the system to the Indo-Burmese border.
In preparation for the signing ceremony and ahead of the arrival of Maung Aye, the Indian government last week cleared approximately $133 million to Burma.
Sources said the Union Cabinet, on March 27, sanctioned the expenditure under 'Aid to Myanmar' funds for the upgrading of Sittwe Port and the Kaladan Waterway and construction of a road to the Indo-Burmese border from Kalewa.
While the Burmese military government had been reluctant to sign an early agreement, India has been pushing to see the realization of the project since 2003. In the intervening period there have been six rounds of talks regarding the project, with India demonstrating a keen interest in exploiting Burma's natural resources and geographic position.
Both countries have already initiated a Draft Framework Agreement on the Project, Draft Protocol on Facilitation of Transit Transport, Draft Protocol on Financial Arrangements and Draft Protocol on Joint Maintenance and Administration.
Despite the international outcry over the Burmese military junta's continued human rights violations, India has been pushing for a closer relationship with its Southeast Asian neighbor for several years.
The signing of the Kaladan Project is one of many projects that India is urging the Burmese military junta to agree on, according to a senior Indian journalist who closely monitors the Indo-Burmese relationship.
"During the trip, Maung Aye is also likely to discuss various other issues, including trade and the bilateral relationship," added the journalist.
India and Burma have exchanged several high level visits since Burma's Senior General Than Shwe's visit to India in October 2004. Maung Aye will be the highest Burmese official to visit India in 2008.
